Sydney's northern beaches look to be major beneficiaries of state budget transport plans

Nicole Hasham

The Military-Spit-Pittwater bus corridor is one of Sydney's busiest. Photo: Anthony Johnson

Travel times on one of Sydney's worst commuter road journeys will be slashed and the Baird government will consider a new vehicle tunnel beneath Military Road under plans set to be announced in Tuesday's state budget.

The measures affecting Pittwater, Spit and Military roads could provide relief to long-suffering motorists and potentially increase public transport use.

It is understood the government will reveal plans for an above-ground ''rapid bus transit'' system between Mona Vale and central Sydney.

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Bus services between Spit Junction and Wynyard can vary from the timetable by up to 20 minutes and morning peak traffic can crawl along the Manly-Military-Spit roads arterial at an infuriating 18km/h.

It is also understood the government will fund a feasibility study into building a vehicle tunnel that would allow commuters to avoid the bumper-to-bumper grind.

Premier Mike Baird signalled on Wednesday that measures to relieve the thickened traffic artery, which passes through his electorate of Manly, were overdue.

''[The northern suburbs] have been ignored for too long … I'm happy to argue with anyone and everyone that we need these funds in our community. They will make a big difference,” he told the Mosman Daily.

A Transport for NSW pre-feasibility study in 2012 examined five options between Mona Vale and the city. They included a two-lane bus tunnel from Spit Junction to the Warringah freeway, establishing 24-hour bus lanes and widening the Spit Bridge to six lanes.

Bus lanes could flow along the kerb or down the median. Depending on the option chosen, on-street parking could be removed and roadways widened.

The study also canvassed an east-west option between Chatswood and Dee Why.

It concluded bus rapid transit measures were feasible but prioritising buses by removing general traffic lanes would lead to longer trips for other vehicles.

It is understood the government will proceed with an above-ground solution. However Mr Baird reportedly said he was ''committed to the tunnel; that remains a key objective''.

''A tunnel will deliver the most benefit in terms of travel time,'' he said. ''It will return Military Road to community use rather than transit use. It will help to take the congestion away, and that is desperately needed.''

It is unclear if the government will investigate the use of a tunnel by both cars and buses.

The announcement of a second rail crossing across the harbour has also raised the prospect that a northern beaches rail line could be back on the agenda.

Documents obtained by Fairfax Media in January using freedom of information laws show officials working on the next extensions to the city's train system saw a northern beaches line as one of the first priorities after another harbour crossing is built.

North Sydney Council has described the government's rapid bus study as ''inadequate'' because it did not consider other transport modes, including heavy and light rail.

Mayor Jilly Gibson said an above-ground bus transit system would ''create a clearway right through our villages, through Neutral Bay and Cremorne, and it would effectively kill off those villages''.

Manly mayor Jean Hay said a rail line to that suburb would bring higher densities, and would not have local support. Her council supports a bus rapid transit system, built down the middle of the road, adding ''[the road] is like a car park at the moment. It will make a huge difference as far as moving people.''

24 comments

I hail the improvements to public transport but question moving the pointy end of the "traffic funnel". Apart from the harbour tunnel (prior to the cross city tunnel entry), and the M7 these road improvements tend shift the problem rather than solve it. Then there are the inevitable tolls that further reduce the value of the so callled improvements for the peak hour motorist.

Commenter

yperil

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 12, 2014, 7:47AM

No massive road tunnels for the Northern Beaches or for the Inner West. Road tunnels are clearly not the answer to reducing traffic congestion or for getting large numbers of people quickly around the city. They are not only inefficient but also cost the most. See cost of WestConnex. The new common mode should be 3-car metro trainsets as used on the new Singapore lines. Half the cost.

Commenter

Razorbackbob

Date and time

June 12, 2014, 1:34PM

Totally agree. Some other suggestions. Get the NBN asap and get more people working from home, ban kids from getting a lift with parents to school or change school hours to 8 -2, more bike lanes, tolls are fine so long as they are only in peak hours and use is tax deductable for all users -those unfortunate ones that live in the hills really get screwed, Incentives to big businesses to set up on Central Coast, Wollongong etc. More commuter car parks to use public transport. There are so many cost effective ways to improve this city while long term infrastucture is funsded and built without selling the family silver.

Commenter

Bob

Location

Nrth Beaches

Date and time

June 12, 2014, 2:05PM

Mike use this road announcement as an excuse to sell public own money making electricity networks (Endeavour Energy, Ausgrid, TransGrid (poles and wires)). In the end, the tax payers of NSW will lose public assets and the electricity price and prices of many other goods will go up.

Commenter

sell

Date and time

June 13, 2014, 7:09AM

A shiny new Premier, electricity sell offs, new roads, new train stations and now tunnels, election anyone?

Commenter

Paul01

Location

Riverina

Date and time

June 12, 2014, 7:47AM

The Nthn Beaches haven't had a single thing built for the past 30 years to help with Traffic issues and that was the piddly little 2 Kilometer long Burnt Bridge Bypass linking Manly Vale some 30 years ago.That's how long we have been been neglected by the NSW Governments in the past.....My other inquiry will be, how much they will allow the operators to rape us have to pay for at all??.....I always thought that what out Car Rego's and Taxes were supposed to pay for, but then again this is Australia, the land of being fleeced and ripped off.

Commenter

Mike

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 12, 2014, 8:20AM

Mike this is what happens when you choose to live in these areas. Move to a better suburb with better transport links and you will not be complaining like you are.

Commenter

Damian

Location

Leichhardt NSW

Date and time

June 13, 2014, 7:02AM

I will run down Military Rd naked if a tunnel ever gets built connecting the Northern Beaches to the City in my life time.

Commenter

Simon

Location

Manly

Date and time

June 12, 2014, 8:21AM

Actually you be run over naked because long before that happens Military Rd will be a 24/7 clearway.

Commenter

Lucas

Date and time

June 13, 2014, 6:12AM

I remember living in Mosman in the 1982-84, wasn't to difficult getting into town & back in those days, probably chaos now. Never understood why Sydney didn't develop a underground/overground system like so many large metropolitan cities. Driving in Australia is not enjoyable in urban areas, drivers hog the outside lane while driving slowly, overtake undertake, not courteous, won't keep left, shoot up the inside of drivers trying to indicate & pull in to the left. Who teaches Australians to drive like this? Better ordered & more courteous driving would assist in keeping traffic flowing. Authorities might well be doing a better job if they insisted & implemented better driving habits & not just raking in money for the proverbial speeding fines meat grinder. That's easy money, transport authorities need tae get of their erse & work on enforcing/encouraging even rewarding more courteous & thoughtful driving. That's what public servants should be working harder at!